On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:03:15 +0900, "Ed" <gwbush@whitehouse.com>
brought down from the Mount tablets inscribed:

>
>"Michael Cash" <mikecash@buggerallspammers.com> wrote in message
>news:5j11p099uq3n4jc9f1a9bgunpgk0dlk5ve@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 17:50:57 +0900, Declan Murphy
>> <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> brought down from the Mount tablets
>> inscribed:
>>
>> >For the last few weeks I've being spending a lot of time with architects
>> >designing 20 apartments. We initially decided that for 6 of the
>> >apartments, there would be a 3.75 X 2.5 meter covered balcony. Large
>> >enough for two people to sit outside, even have a BBQ etc. Then when
>> >soundproofing and double glazing issues were considered, we decided to
>> >enclose the balcony with glass and make it a sun room. I was expecting
>> >the quote today, instead I was told "You can only have 3 instead of 6.
>> >The total floor space ratio to total property size can't exceed X%".
>> >
>> >Ordinarily I'd have been happy to hear it, but apparently Japan does
>> >have some zoning laws afterall :-(
>>
>> If you look at real estate listings the ratio is usually listed along
>> with the other info.
>>
>> A few years ago, some friends built a new home. A big, beautiful,
>> spacious two-story home. Two stories and a half, actually. But there
>> was no way to enter the and-a-half part. There wasn't even an opening
>> in the ceiling or any sort of indication that there was anything
>> usable above the second floor.
>
>That's not how they did it with my house. I have a third story accessible
>only from an opening in the ceiling of the second floor which houses a slide
>down stairway. The tax dudes measured the house and didn't even bother with
>the third story.
>
>Apparently they do have some kind of rule that if the area isn't readily
>accessible, then it isn't considered part of the total area space.

These folks are rich tightwads. They won't pay the tax if they can
avoid it, but neither will they take the chintzy way out of it.





--

Michael Cash

"I am sorry, Mr. Cash, but we are unable to accept your rap sheet in lieu of
a high school transcript."

                                Dr. Howard Sprague
                                Dean of Admissions
                                Mount Pilot College